Association between fine particulate matter (PM) air pollution and sex ratio at birth in Taiwan.

Sex ratio at birth (SRB) is a simple, noninvasive way to monitor the reproductive health of a population. Sex ratio at birth tends to vary across regions and time periods and has been declining globally over the last 50 years possibly due to exposure to environmental toxins, including endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and other pollutants. The findings of few studies that assessed the relationship between ambient air pollution and SRBs have been inconsistent.

Efficacy and safety of momelotinib in Janus kinase inhibitor-experienced Asian patients with myelofibrosis and anemia.

Introduction: This post hoc analysis investigated the efficacy and safety of momelotinib in the Asian subpopulation of MOMENTUM (NCT04173494).

Methods: Patients were randomized 2:1 to momelotinib 200 mg once daily (QD) plus danazol placebo (momelotinib group) or danazol 600 mg QD plus momelotinib placebo (danazol group) for 24 weeks (W), after which they could receive open-label momelotinib or danazol.

Primary Endpoint: W24 total symptom score (TSS) response rate (≥ 50% reduction from baseline).

The effect of exposure to ambient air fine particulate matter pollution on mortality among children aged under five in Taiwan.

Exposure to ambient fine air particulate matter (PM) pollution may pose an adverse health hazard risk to infants and children. The under-5 mortality rate serves as an estimate of probability that a child might die between birth and age of five following exposure. This rate has been used by the United Nations as a prime indicator of exposure when setting and evaluating sustainable development goals (SDGs).

ATDMNet: Multi-Head Agent Attention and Top-k Dynamic Mask for Camouflaged Object Detection.

Camouflaged object detection (COD) encounters substantial difficulties owing to the visual resemblance between targets and their environments, together with discrepancies in multiscale representation of features. Current methodologies confront obstacles with feature distraction, modeling far-reaching dependencies, fusing multiple-scale details, and extracting boundary specifics. Consequently, we propose ATDMNet, an amalgamated architecture combining CNN and transformer within a numerous phases feature extraction framework.

The definition of sng: The expert consensus by the sng taxonomy Task force of the Taiwan sng Society.

"Sng" is a Taiwanese term describing a distinct state of soreness. Accumulating evidence indicates that sng is a specific somatosensory modality, independent of pain, with distinct receptors and transduction pathways. In recent years, variations in its presentation across different medical specialties have highlighted the need for a standardized definition of sng-related terminology.

Lacking ASIC1a in ASIC4-positive amygdala/bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) neurons reduces anxiety and innate fear in mice.

Background: Anxiety is an innate response in the face of danger. When anxiety is overwhelming or persistent, it could be considered an anxiety disorder. Recent studies have shown that acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) represent a novel class of promising targets for developing effective therapies for anxiety.

A phase I / IIa trial of PXS-5505, a novel pan-lysyl oxidase inhibitor, in advanced myelofibrosis.

Myelofibrosis (MF) is a progressive disease characterized by accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) in the bone marrow (BM) which impairs normal hematopoiesis. While Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors reduce spleen volume and provide symptomatic improvement, they do not resolve BM fibrosis and may cause or exacerbate anemia and thrombocytopenia. An anti-fibrotic therapy capable of normalising BM microenvironment and function remains a significant gap in the current treatment landscape.

Association between long-term ambient fine particulate matter exposure and risk of postneonatal infant mortality in Taiwan.

Infants and children may be potentially susceptible to harm from ambient fine particulate matter (PM) pollution because of the following characteristics (1) immature immune systems (2) not yet fully developed respiratory systems (3) possess a higher absorption rate of pollutants, and (4) and daily activities may expose infants to varying levels. However, few studies have examined the possible correlation between exposure to PM and mortality in infants. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the association between long-term exposure to ambient PM and post-neonatal mortality in 65 municipal areas across Taiwan.

Health benefits of a reduction in ambient fine particulate matter levels for post-neonatal infant survival in Taiwan.

Infants' and children's health is particularly susceptible to exposure to various environmental contaminant insults as their immune systems are immature and daily activities may present differing patterns of exposure. Although some studies noted an association between long-term exposure to ambient fine particulate matter (PM) and increased infant mortality frequency, few investigations examined the relationship between reduced exposure to PM and changes in infant mortality rates. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine whether diminished levels of PM in Taiwan improved post-neonatal infant health.

A role for proprioceptors in sngception.

Proprioceptors are primary mechanosensory neurons to monitor the status of muscle contraction and/or body position (). Although proprioceptors are known as non-nociceptive mechanoreceptors, they also express the pro-nociceptive acid-sensing ion channel 3 (ASIC3) (-). To probe the role for proprioceptors in sensing acidosis (or sngception) (), we found that genetic deletion of in proprioceptors but not in nociceptors abolished acid-induced chronic hyperalgesia in mice.

Establishing an Electrophysiological Recording Platform for Epidural Spinal Cord Stimulation in Neuropathic Pain Rats.

Purpose: Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is pivotal in treating chronic intractable pain. To elucidate the mechanism of action among conventional and current novel types of SCSs, a stable and reliable electrophysiology model in the consensus animals to mimic human SCS treatment is essential. We have recently developed a new in vivo implantable pulsed-ultrahigh-frequency (pUHF) SCS platform for conducting behavioral and electrophysiological studies in rats.

Association between air pollutants and blood cell counts in pediatric patients with asthma: a retrospective observational study.

Background: Asthma is a common respiratory disease in children, and air pollution is a risk factor for pediatric asthma. However, how air pollution affects blood cells in pediatric patients with asthma remains unclear.

Methods: This retrospective observational study, performed in 2007-2018 at a medical center, enrolled non-trauma patients aged < 17 years who visited the emergency department and had asthma.

When sng meets acupuncture -- a paradigm-shift biomarker for translational research.

The sensation of sng (pronounced/səŋ/, the Romanization form of or soreness in Taiwanese Southern Min) associated with a composite of unique sensations, is a novel phenotype for acupoint stimulation. It is perceived by test participants but also by experienced practitioners as a sensation of "taking the bait" (by fish when fishing), a characteristic heavy and tight sensation from the needle. Here, we propose that sng is a powerful biomarker for associated with successful manual acupuncture.

Correction: Lin et al. ATF3-Expressing Large-Diameter Sensory Afferents at Acute Stage as Bio-Signatures of Persistent Pain Associated with Lumbar Radiculopathy. 2021, , 992.

In the original publication [...

Bilateral inverse canine impaction: a case report.

Background: Maxillary canine impaction can result in malocclusion, temporomandibular joint complications, and esthetic concerns, thus influencing craniofacial development. Although cases of impacted canines are not uncommon in clinical practice, the likelihood of simultaneous bilateral impaction is extremely low; very few reports have documented cases of bilaterally symmetrical, inversely impacted canines.

Case Presentation: This paper reports a rare case of maxillary canine impaction, a condition characterized by the abnormal eruption of teeth.

Effect of Advillin Knockout on Diabetic Neuropathy Induced by Multiple Low Doses of Streptozotocin.

Advillin is an actin-binding protein involved in regulating the organization of actin filaments and the dynamics of axonal growth cones. In mice, advillin is exclusively expressed in somatosensory neurons, ubiquitously expressed in all neuron subtypes during neonatal ages and particularly enriched in isolectin B4-positive (IB4 + ) non-peptidergic neurons in adulthood. We previously showed that advillin plays a key role in axon regeneration of somatosensory neurons during peripheral neuropathy.

Effects of urinary organophosphate flame retardants in susceptibility to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in school-age children.

Our previous studies have revealed a correlation between urinary phthalates (PAE) metabolites and parabens and PM exposure and susceptibility to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in school-age children. Our goal was to examine the relationships between urinary organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) and their metabolites and the susceptibility to ADHD in the same cohort of children. We recruited 186 school children, including 132 with ADHD and 54 normal controls, living in southern Taiwan to investigate five OPFRs (1,3-dichloro-2-propyl phosphate (TDCPP), tri-n-butyl phosphate (TnBP), tris (2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBEP), and triphenyl phosphate (TPHP)) and five OPFR metabolites (bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BDCPP), di-n-butyl phosphate (DNBP), bis(2-chloroethyl) hydrogen phosphate (BCEP), di-(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (DBEP), and diphenyl phosphate (DPHP)) in urine.

Exogenous Janus Kinase 617 Codon Influences Small Noncoding RNAs and Gene Expression in Ba/F3 Cells.

Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are blood cancers caused by mutations that originate from hematopoietic stem cells. More than 50%-90% of MPN patients had a dominant negative valine (V) to phenylalanine (F) mutation at the Janus kinase 617 codon (JAK2V617F) within the Janus kinase (JAK)-signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling pathway; however, this mutation was also found in a high percentage of the general population, its penetrance varied, and its onset was shown to be polygenic. Consequently, it is still unknown what molecular mechanism underlies the MPN transformation produced by JAK2V617F.

Presynaptic Enhancement of Transmission from Nociceptors Expressing Nav1.8 onto Lamina-I Spinothalamic Tract Neurons by Spared Nerve Injury in Mice.

Alteration of synaptic function in the dorsal horn (DH) has been implicated as a cellular substrate for the development of neuropathic pain, but certain details remain unclear. In particular, the lack of information on the types of synapses that undergo functional changes hinders the understanding of disease pathogenesis from a synaptic plasticity perspective. Here, we addressed this issue by using optogenetic and retrograde tracing ex vivo to selectively stimulate first-order nociceptors expressing Nav1.

MicroRNAs in Umbilical Cord Blood and Development in Full-Term Newborns: A Prospective Study.

Background: Exploring the epigenetic regulations, such as microRNA, in newborns holds significant promise for enhancing our ability to address and potentially prevent early-life developmental delays.

Objectives: Hence, this research seeks to investigate if the expression of miRNA in the umbilical cord blood of infants can forecast their developmental outcomes as they grow older.

Design And Method: We enrolled 143 full-term newborns, delivered either via cesarean section (CS) or through natural spontaneous delivery (NSD).

Association of JAK2V617F allele burden and clinical correlates in polycythemia vera: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) V617F mutation is present in most patients with polycythemia vera (PV). One persistently puzzling aspect unresolved is the association between JAK2V617F allele burden (also known as variant allele frequency) and the relevant clinical characteristics. Numerous studies have reported associations between allele burden and both hematologic and clinical features.

Treatment outcome and germline predictive factors of ropeginterferon alpha-2b in myeloproliferative neoplasm patients.

Background: Studies have shown that some single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) could serve as excellent markers in foretelling the treatment outcome of interferon (IFN) in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN). However, most work originated from western countries, and data from different ethnic populations have been lacking.

Methods: To gain insights, targeted sequencing was performed to detect myeloid-associated mutations and SNPs in eight loci across three genes (IFNL4, IFN-γ, and inosine triphosphate pyrophosphatase [ITPA]) to explore their predictive roles in our cohort of 21 ropeginterferon alpha-2b (ROPEG)-treated MPN patients, among whom real-time quantitative PCR was also performed periodically to monitor the JAK2V617F allele burden in 19 JAK2V617F-mutated cases.

Exacerbated gastrointestinal symptoms and long COVID in IBD patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection: A multi-center study from taiwan.

Background/purpose: Limited studies have addressed the exacerbation of symptoms and long COVID in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients following non-severe COVID-19 infection, particularly with post-COVID-19 vaccination. We aim to investigate factors associated with exacerbated gastrointestinal symptoms (EGS) and long COVID in IBD patients with non-severe COVID-19, which is most common situation in daily practice.

Methods: This is an observational study by multiple centers in Taiwan from May 2020 to March 2023.